The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid Miscanthus and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99. xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99 represents a new cultivar of Giant Miscanthus, an ornamental grass grown for landscape use.
The inventors discovered and selected the new cultivar, xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99, in a cultivated garden in Lymington, Hampshire, United Kingdom in the fall of 1998. xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99 was discovered as a naturally occurring culm sport of the cultivar Miscanthus xe2x80x98Giganteusxe2x80x99 (unpatented), a cultivar of hybrid origin.
The new cultivar xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99 was selected for its unique leaf variegation pattern and is unlike any other known cultivars of Miscanthus known to the inventors. xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99 has leaf variegation that is comprised of longitudinal yellow-green and deep green stripes that vary in width and a white mid-rib. Although the stripe width for each component color is variable, the coloration is present on all foliage and perpetuated through propagation.
The parent plant, Miscanthus xe2x80x98Giganteusxe2x80x99 has deep green foliage with a white mid-rib with no presence of yellow green variegation.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by culm division in Lymington, Hampshire, United Kingdom in the fall of 1998 by the inventors. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. The new Miscanthus has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in temperature, day-length, light intensity, soil types, and water and fertility levels without, however, any variance in genotype. The measurements, observations, and descriptions that follow describe plants grown outdoors for two years from a single culm division in St. John, Ind. These attributes in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99 from any selections of Miscanthus known to the inventors.
1. The foliage of xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99 is variegated with stripes of yellow-green and deep green with a while mid-rib. In the fall the variegation changes to shades of greyed-orange with areas of greyed purple and finally to an overall color that is a light greyed-orange.
2. The flowers of the new Miscanthus arise in late fall and are composed of arching, terminal panicles of slender, silky racemes that open a creamy white color with a purple-red tint and appear silvery as they mature.
3. The plant habit of xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99 is upright with robust, pendant foliage. It is clump-forming and herbaceous, with persistence of leaf and flower panicles throughout the winter. There is some loss of lower leaves during the growing season.
4. xe2x80x98Gilded Towerxe2x80x99 is best grown in moisture-retentive soils in full sun but is tolerant to a wider range of growing conditions and tolerant of wind and partial shade.